April 20, 2011

NOTE: I STARTED THIS POST SUNDAY NIGHT AND I’M JUST NOW GETTING IT POSTED!

We kept the twins from last Thursday until Sunday and while we love those babies and every minute with them, I know now why God gives babies to young folks. Here’s how it went down for me:

Pick them up at school Thursday afternoon, go to their house to get Taylor ready for her ballgame which doesn’t start until 7:15 p.m. (what idiot schedules ballgames for 6-7 year olds at that time of night?), get home close to 9:00…their mama said they had to have baths and hair washed because school pictures were the next day….let Jackson go on to bed since he was sooo tired, got Taylor’s bath and hair washed and in bed by 9::30-ish. Then the fun started for me! I thought I turned on the house alarm and went to Jackson’s room to check on him….coming out the alarm went off and it’s LOUD! The phone rings, it’s the alarm company, I told them what had happened and everything was okay. Then daughter calls from New Orleans (they called her) and wanted to know what had happened….then husband calls (we are apparently on their call list too) and again, I explained that I must have done something wrong so I had just turned it off. So I got my pj’s on and went to the kitchen to fix myself some tea when the doorbell rings! It’s the police!!! I told him he was welcome to come in and look around that I had no idea what I’d done but that I was leaving that sucker off! Apparently, I didn’t turn off the motion detector. We don’t have an alarm at our house (probably should) but I hate those things!

Okay, on Friday after dropping them off at school, I raced home to get myself ready so I could pick up mama and take her to the beauty shop. Right after we got through there around noon, I got another call from daughter who said the school had called them and said school was closing at 1:00 due to the severe weather coming through our area. Based on what I’m seeing on the news, we escaped pretty easily compared to the total destruction experienced in many of our sister states….my prayers go out to all the families who have lost so much.

We left for my sister’s lake house on Saturday morning to spend the day. They live in Talladega and since it was race weekend, they escape their little town and all that craziness to their lake house.

What a perfect day for the lake….look at that water!

View from top of driveway looking down at boathouses

We got to the lake a little ahead of my sister so we drove down to the end of the road where this lovely old church stands. Husband had never seen it and Taylor and Jackson enjoyed getting out and running around. Most Sundays in the summer months the locals attend church in this quaint little church. Take a look inside at how primitive it is.

Looks like someone tied these floral bundles on the pews last fall

Sweet alter

Collection plates

So primitive but so beautiful in it’s simplicity

We went outside and walked across the road to an old cemetery. It was hard to read the headstones but most looked to be in the early 1800’s!

There is an outcropping of old stones all around the church and in the cemetery. I snapped a couple of photos of Taylor so I could send them to her mama’s phone.

My angel baby….she’s growing up way too fast. (She picked out her own clothes for the lake and I certainly wasn’t going to argue with her!)

My sister and her husband had their grandson who is 4 so we had two 6 year olds and one 4 year old….let’s just say my brother in law makes a mean margarita and we needed one by late afternoon! At the lake, it’s all about eating and we snacked on stuff all afternoon. It was real windy and cool on the lake but we finally got the boat out around 5:00 to take the kids out for a ride.

Here are the two boathouses

This is my brother-in-law’s latest toy he got last year

My sister backing up “her” boat….my favorite, the pontoon boat

Looking up at the side deck from the boathouse

Then out on the water…..it was really cool, the kids had one coats under their lifejackets and we had a couple of blankets which we very much needed on the water

Here’s my sister ….we have such a good time together

My big man Jackson….he loves riding on the boat

Taylor wanted to take off her lifejacket but she knows anytime we’re at the lake it stays on when she’s around the water

Their mama and daddy got home around 3:00…just in time to take the kids to the Easter egg hunt at their church. I headed home and husband and I sat outside on the back deck getting some much needed rest! We noticed how much work needs to be done to the yard before next weekend when we’re having all the family over for lunch.

That’s about it for me this week. I hope everyone has a wonderful week and please keep everyone that might have been affected by the deadly tornados in your thoughts and prayers.

12 comments:

Judy, Know exactly how you feel. I have three grandies, and have only had two at one time for a simple weekend. During that weekend, I had help...my SUPER sister and her daughter came to help out. At the time, the children were 3 and 1. The 1 year old got the flu the first night...triggering my sister and niece to get it the second day. I quickly took some motion sick pills to fend off any sickness heading my way (and it did come the THIRD day) so I could take care of the children till my daughter arrived home. The fun part in all of this (besides being vomited on in the middle of the night multiple times by the 1 yr old baby) was the call from my daughter asking us if we could get the house in "order". They had it up for sale at the time and the Real Estate agent wanted to show it in the afternoon the final day. Let's just say it was QUITE a while till I kept Two children at the same time. lol

I wouldn't TRADE them for anything though...and isn't it these type of memories that we LAUGH at "AFTER" they are over. haha~

You are a brave Gramma. We have twin girls, age 11 (one is also a Taylor), & there is no way we ever would have kept them at age 6. Actually, we've never kept them, but that's going to change as soon as we move closer. I think they are old enough now! Your pictures were great. The old church looks wonderful.CAS

Judy, We were at the lake too, but on Saturday we went over to Auburn for A-day. Had brunch with Rhonda and her family over at Blur Creek Home...maybe all three of us can get together next time. Love hearing your story about the alarm...Mr.CC did a funny with ours about 15 years ago (it was right after we moved into this house). Hope you and your family have a wonderful Easter and don't worry about the yard:)

Your day at the lake looks perfect to me! That church is so cool! I've fought the battle of the alarm and lost many times...I finally turned it off and won't be turning it back on until we leave for vacation *winks* Vanna

Looks wonderful Judy. We are looking forward to another trip to the lake. One thing and another has kept us from getting back as soon as we wanted. Hopefully after Wednesday next week. That is what we are shooting for!

I love all the photos!!

I always need a good nap when the g'kiddo's go home.LOL! You are right about having our children when young!:-)

Judy, I enjoyed catching up with you and your precious Taylor and Jackson. They are, indeed, growing up way too fast.

I know what you mean about them being "high maintenance," though. I don't know where six-year-olds get their energy, but I wish they could share it with their grandmamas. I keep asking our soon-to-be six-year-old granddaughter Avery Grace where her "off button" is ...

Best wishes to you and your sweet family for a very happy and memorable Easter celebration.

About Me

I'm a Southern girl who loves my family and home. Born and raised in the Deep South, I have a great respect for our heritage and try in my own little way to keep the Southern lifestyle alive and well! I'm happily married to a wonderful man and we have two grown children and four grandchildren who are the love of our lives! I hope you enjoy your visit to my Southern home and as we say here in Dixie, ya'll come back now, ya hea!